The Colour of Dreams
by Part of the Queue
Summary: A collection of short stories based on the BBC's Robin Hood. No spoilers for episodes unaired in the US.
1. The Colour of Dreams

This is a Will Scarlett fic inspired by the new Robin Hood on BBC 1 on a Saturday. Its 350 words. I had to send it back to the beta about three times before I got it right. Hope you like.

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The colour of dreams.

He never used to dream; he used his energy on work and chores at home. But now he was in the forest, the dreams came more often.

They start in black and white, colour leaks into them only slowly.

He dreams of life five years ago, life before the new taxes and Sheriff. He dreams of playing with his brother, his father's lessons, his mother's laughter. The only colour is the purple of the flowers in the spring.

He watches his mother get thinner and thinner until she fades away completely. The shine of her hair dulling, even as the orange colour bleeds into his vision.

He dreams of the day his father lost his hand. Remembers his scream of pain, intermingling with the muffled sobs from Luke, head buried in Will's shoulder. Watches the drops spill from the blade onto the forest floor, their red colour emerging from the grey of the dream as they hit the ground.

He dreams of the night in the cell, waiting to die. Holding his brother as he cried himself to sleep, whispering comforting nothings to Benedict, sitting pale-faced and shaking next to him. Trying to avoid the piercing green gaze of the stranger sitting opposite him.

He dreams of walking up to the scaffold. The cries of his father muffled as a noose and hood are slipped over his head, yet the voice reading out his crimes perfectly clear. The only thing he sees as he his eyes close is the grey weave of the hood slowly turning to brown.

He dreams of what would have happened if Robin hadn't decided to save them. He sees Luke, pale and cold to the touch, bruises marring his neck in a dark circle. He falls to his knees and weeps as his brother's skin is coloured in blue.

And when he wakes, he is shaking, and Allan, who sleeps nearby, is looking at him worriedly, saying he called his brother's name in his sleep.

He just shakes his head, squeezing his eyes closed against the cool light of morning and the colour it brings.

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Remember, reviews are a writer's chocolate.


	2. Sensations

Much-centric piece. Please review.

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He feels the heat as it swirls around him, carried in suffocating eddies and currents.

He sits still, his eyes closed, absorbing the heat and listens to the sounds surrounding him, sounds that are few whilst his companions are either absent or sleeping.

He uncrosses his legs and places his hands palm-down behind him for support. He feels sand run through the spaces between his fingers.

He tastes the foreign spices on his tongue; they seem to linger for days.

He stretches his legs and feels the pull of scarred skin over his muscles; scars received fighting his King's Holy War.

He smells the perfumes of the foreign land, hanging heavy in the heated air, so different from the scents of home, mingling with the stench of blood and death, which lies even heavier around him.

He hears his Master's voice, calling out his return, feels the stirring of his sleeping companions.

The perfume in the air and the spices on his tongue fade and are replaced with more familiar ones, the smell of the forest, and the taste of plain bread.

The heat dissipates and returns to the small pile of blazing logs before him. The sand between his fingers returns to dirt and leaves.

The sensations that seemed so vivid to him moments before leave his skin and return to the confines of his memories. They are pushed back until he could almost believe they were a dream.

He opens his eyes to the sight of his Master's return and stands to greet him.

He stretches his legs and feels the pull of scarred skin over his muscles; scars received fighting his King's Holy War.

But not the only ones.


	3. What he fears

100 word, Allan-a-dale centric drabble. Mild spoilers for episode 1x07, Brothers in Arms. Written straight after the episode, so yes, I am prophetic.

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He fears few things, but those he does, he is terrified of.

His stepfather. A drunkard with a temper, who ignored his stepsons until they were old enough to interfere when he tried to beat their mother.

The noose that was once around his neck. He's only alive because a nobleman decided the lives of 4 peasants were more important than his own comforts.

That bit of his brother that lives inside him. That it could lead him to betray those he has come to think of as friends, to steal or hurt them.

He fears that most of all.


	4. For a Brother

Episode Tag for episode 7, Brothers in Arms, as I felt they focussed too much on Robin at the end when it was Allan who had lost his brother! I have no qualms with Djaq, but I wanted to see Will being the one comforting Allan.

Warning: Mild pre-slash if you want to look at it that way.

P.S. I couldn't find the names of the two people who got married, so I gave them random names :D

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Much and John were singing as they returned from the wedding of George and Catherine of Locksley, the result of consuming too much ale.

Will laughed as he followed behind them. Robin brought up the rear. He was slightly subdued, but he had been ever since he had returned from taking the necklace to Marian. He had muttered something about Marian marrying and Much had given them all a look that said 'Don't ask', so Will was leaving well alone.

When they reached the camp, they found Allan gone and Djaq poking at the fire half-heartedly. Much and John dropped down by the fire, still singing and Robin went to stand moodily under a tree.

Will glanced around the camp before sending a questioning look towards Djaq. She caught his eye and nodded across the camp towards the path that led to a nearby system of caves. Will placed his weapons by his bedroll, before heading in the direction she indicated.

After walking for a few minutes he heard the sound of muffled sobs.

"Allan?" he called. The soft noises stopped, but Will had already pinpointed the location of the sound. He moved around an outcrop of rocks and ducked under an overhang to see Allan, curled in a ball, knees to his chest, wiping tears from his face.

Without speaking, Will moved to sit by his friend, shoulders touching. Neither of them said anything for several minutes, until Allan broke the silence.

"I can't believe … I mean, he wasn't the best brother in the world, he lied, he stole from me. Twice! But he was … he was Tom, he was my little brother. And now he's …", Allan broke off as his voice cracked with emotion. Will glanced at the man sitting next to him, still curled up.

"I know I can't know what it's like to lose a brother, Luke's still out there even if I don't know where. But I did lose my Mum, I know what its like to lose someone you love unconditionally. And, at first, it helped me, just to say it out loud".

Allan took in a deep, shaky breath and closed his eyes as a tear slid down his cheek.

"He's dead".

Allan broke down into shuddering sobs as Will wrapped his arms around him, pulled his friend to lean against his chest and let him cry for the loss of a brother.


End file.
